Improvement in skates



UNITED STATES 1 PATENT OFFICE.

. JoHN T. LARKIN, or HALIFAX, NovA soorIA.

I IMPROVEMENT IN SKATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 137,780, dated April 15, 1873 application filed- November 8, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN T. LARKIN, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, have invented certain Improvements in Skates, of which the following is a specification:

The following is a detailed description of the construction and operation.

The accompanying drawing forms a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Both these figures show the skate in the locked position as if attached to the foot. Fig. 3 is a plan view as seen from below. It shows the skate in the unlocked position ready to be applied to or removed from the foot. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line S S in Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a rear view of one of the important parts detached.

Similarletters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

The skate is formed of three fixed parts and six movable parts, three of the latter being fixed adjustably together so as to work as one rigid piece, but of adjustable dimensions.

A is the main body or runner of the skate. B is a sheet-metal part stretching across under the ball of the foot and folding down both in front and rear of the post A of the runner, as shown by B B. It is firmly riveted to the post A as shown, and its form affords a peculiarly efficient support. Its lateral arms strongly embrace the sliding side pieces D D 0 is a fixed heel-plate, secured on the heel-post or heel elevation A of the skate-runner by means of the central pivot 0 and also by means of a folded-down part, 0 which is firmly riveted to the back edge of the post A as shown. Each side of this depression 0 are the elevations G roughened on the inside to takea firm hold of the heel of the boot, (not represented.) E is a long sliding piece, containing in its widened front edge three slots. The slot 6 extends along the central line and receives a fixed stud, a, which is dovetailformed, and the groove 6, being correspondingly formed, serves the double function of guiding the sliding piece E in its forward and backward sliding movements, and also holding it down against any disturbing force. The inclined slots c e are symmetrically disposed each side of the central slot 0, and receive pins d d, fixed in the upper faces of the lateral slides D D Moving the slide E backward draws together the lateral slides D D F is a piece which forms an adjustable extension of the slide E, and is fixed thereto by a bolt, M, and nut M, standing in a slot in each, as represented. This slide F is adapted to slide astride of theheel-pivot (3 so as to be guided thereby, and carries a pin, F, on its lower face, which stands in the peculiarly-formed slot h in a lever-plate, H, which turns on the pin 0 as a fulcrum, and locks, by its elastic force, on the upper edge of the body or runner A, as shown. The slot h is symmetrically constructed each side of the central line, so that, on liberatin g the lever H from its lockin g hold on the skate-runner A andturning it to either side, the sloth acts cam-wise on the pin F, driving forward the slide F and its attachments. G is an inverted trough-like piece matching over both the pieces F and E adjacent to the bolt M, and having its rear end turned up and roughened, presenting a curved line of teeth, as shown by 9, adapted to act on and take a firm hold of the front face of the heel of the boot, (not represented.) This piece G has also a long slot to allow its adjustment forward and back. The pieces E, F, and G are all fixed adjustably together by the single bolt M and nut M, so as to serve as a single piece of adj ustable dimensions.

The operation of the mechanism is analogone in efi'ect to that of many well known skates. The parts being previously adjusted at leisure to match properly to the boot of the wearer, the lever H is disengaged from its spring hold on the runner and turned to one side as far as it will go, when the boot is easily inserted into its place. Then, by turning the lever H back to its place, the slide F and its attachments are drawn forcibly toward the heel, thus engaging the piece G with the heel and clamping it strongly between itself and the rough parts 0 0 while the action of the slots 6 0 draws firmly together the side pieces D D and strongly holds the ball of the foot.

The several parts are capable of being cheaply formed from sheet-steel by dies, and the construction is reduced to simple and strongforms.

An important end is served by arranging the teeth on the back face of the'piece G, as shown,

because they are distributed not in the same level and take hold of more than one lift of the heel. They are less likely to tear off the bottom of the heel.

I claim as my invention- 1. The heel-plate O, secured both by the pivot-post G and the rear lip G, and arranged over the lever H and slide F, so as to serve, relatively to the boot-heel and to the other parts of the skate, as herein specified.

2. The longitudinal inverted trough-piece G 9, arranged relatively to the plates E and E my hand this 15th day of October, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN T. LARKIN.

Witnesses MICHAEL WALSH, WM. MOKERRON. 

